You "Cannes" Do It: 3 Life Lessons From Le Cinéma

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I made a movie. No, not that one. The other one. This one! We’re so proud of Two Anxious Bisexuals, and for the last several months we’ve been submitting it to festivals and competitions. More than anything, I just want people to see this movie, to maybe see themselves in it and feel less alone… and have a great time while doing it. Putting yourself out there like this is a rollercoaster of emotions, and while being “chosen” isn’t why we made Two Anxious Bisexuals, it still feels pretty dang good to be recognized.?

This week, Two Anxious Bisexuals premiered in Cannes. No, not that one. The other one. This one! We’re pretty proud to be sharing this with an international crowd, and I sure learned a lot getting here; not just about making a movie, but about life and business, too.?

You still have two more days to watch (and vote for us)!?

You "Cannes" Do It: 3 Life Lessons From Le Cinéma

Big deal-adjacent is still a pretty big deal?When we want something to be successful, most of us aim really, really high. I see it happen with clients all the time; they want to be on the biggest podcasts, get the most prestigious press coverage, and screw TEDx… they want to do a TED talk! I completely understand why. In a world where many people are curating their lived experience in a public way, it can seem like the road to success is an all-or-nothing path. It’s true that some people find success after blowing up in a big way, but for most of us, it doesn’t work like that.?

I love this comic from Sarah Andersen, and I think it represents success in a very accurate way for most of us. A medium-sized podcast will still get you a whole lot bigger of an audience than a book signing, and a smaller publication may speak more to your target audience than the NY Times. A TEDx may not make you Simon Sinek overnight, but it can bring in clients or be seen by someone who will be a game-changer for you. And my movie isn’t premiering at the ‘big’ Cannes, but it’s premiering pretty darn close to the big Cannes. When it comes to lending yourself credibility, creating name or brand recognition, or introducing your work to others, baby steps (and small and medium steps) add up over time. Don’t get bogged down in searching for ‘the big one.’ Be open to what others have to offer.?

You are your own biggest advocate

We’ve all heard those stories about an actress getting ‘discovered’ in a deli or at the mall. If only that could happen to us! Life would be a whole lot easier if someone took care of making our success happen for us… but most of the time we have to create that for ourselves. When I began submitting Two Anxious Bisexuals to festivals, I had hoped it would speak for itself.? And it does… to a point. No matter how great something is - your TEDx, your upcoming book, your new coaching course - people have to find it first. And you have to help them.?

So I learned how to treat my passion project the same way I treat my business. I put myself out there in a big way. I don’t even know how many festivals I sent 2AB to (more on that in a second)! I engaged with people who were interested, I kept in touch, I followed up, I kept on expanding my reach. I invited people to come in and experience something great, and it worked. Your work is important and it could help a lot of people, but not if they don’t know about it. If you don’t believe in your product, they won’t either. The person with the biggest influence on your success is YOU.

For every yes, you may get 10 nos… and that’s ok!

Most of you know that I started my career as a musician, and when you come up in the arts, you get used to rejection. But being used to something doesn’t mean that it’s easier. It’s difficult to put yourself or your project out there. Entrepreneurs and thought leaders, like artists, have often wrapped up some of their self-worth in their work, and it takes guts and vulnerability to do that. When you get a rejection, it can be a real punch to the gut. When you get several rejections in a row, it can really bring you down. You can question your value or the value of your work, you can lose motivation… it can get ugly. When that happens (and it will happen to all of us, no matter how spectacular), I want you to remember this reality: we got a rejection on the same day we got an offer from Cannes. We got rejections before that too (and after).?

But you know what? People ended up liking our film anyway. We got lots of yeses too. You won’t be for everyone, and that is ok. If you get good feedback about why you weren’t chosen or you see patterns, that’s good information to have. If there aren’t patterns or you have no idea why you weren’t chosen, often that means that those weren’t your people. The right people are going to like what you’re about, and ultimately that’s who matters. It’s a numbers game. Don’t let the rejection stop you in your tracks or make you question your value. Keep going.?

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